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KIRKSVILLE, MO -- Another start to the annual Missouri Firearms Deer Hunting Season is in the books with mixed reviews.

There was of course a big turnout of hunters for the first official weekend of the season.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the northeast Missouri region lead in deer harvest numbers on opening weekend.

But there were low numbers with the region down 5,000 from where they were on opening weekend in last year's season.

Hunters and conservation officials all agree it was the weather to blame due to the warm temperatures on Saturday and the rain on Sunday.

"Once it gets warm, the deer just lay down. Think about wearing a warm coat in 80 degree weather. You are not going to feel like going out to feed. You want to stay in a cool area out of the sun and lay down. They'll be active at night. Think about being covered in fur and being soaked and wet. They are going to lay down somewhere out of the inclement or hot weather," said Marcia Jones of the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Jones says now that the weather is cooler it will allow the deer to be more active and easer for hunters to find them.

The conservation department believes they will make up for the low numbers as the season continues.

Firearms Deer Hunting Season runs through November 20.